CHAPTER 338: NIGHT OF JOY AND LAUGHTER

Even so, Julie, though she appreciated the attention, was quite embarrassed being stared at by quite this many people. Her ears burned hotter with every grateful gaze that stayed locked on her, until she finally cleared her throat in a small, almost awkward cough.

"A-Alright, that’s enough, that’s enough." She said, making a small shooing motion with her hand. "We should get back to the celebration. There’s no need to keep looking at me like that."

Realizing what they were seeing, one of the strongest women on the entire continent, getting shy like a bashful village girl, the townsfolk couldn’t help themselves. Warm, easy laughter rippled through the crowd, the tension breaking instantly.

They obeyed her request without protest, returning to their festivities with cheerful chatter and clinking mugs.

Julie let out a quiet breath of relief, then turned back to Susan.

Her expression then shifted, becoming more solemn.

"Tell me honestly." Julie said. "Is it really because of the Valheim family that things have gotten this bad?"

At once, Susan’s lips tightened, her expression darkening. She gritted her teeth, her voice carrying a sharp edge.

"Yes. It is...For centuries now, the Valheim family has been ruling this estate in the worst manner imaginable. People have been fed up for a long time. Corruption...taxes...they were already bad, but this last year?"

She shook her head sharply.

"It’s been taken to an entirely new level. They don’t even pretend to care about the outer towns and villages anymore. They give us no attention at all, but they still take our taxes, like leeches that won’t let go."

Her hands balled into fists, the leather of her gloves creaking.

"This is exactly why this whole situation happened, there wasn’t enough security here, no measures in place to stop these attacks before they could start. And now everything’s spiraling out of control."

Her eyes burned with anger as she muttered.

"If I could...I’d march right up to the Valheim mansion, grab the Patriarch himself, and slap him across the face for what he’s done. But..."

She exhaled sharply, her shoulders lowering.

"...I’m powerless. I wouldn’t even be able to take a single step forward before being cut down."

Julie’s expression softened. She reached out, resting a firm, reassuring hand on Susan’s shoulder.

"It’s alright." Julie said gently. "You’re already doing your best, and it’s obvious. Even in a desperate situation like this, you’ve gone out of your way to accommodate everyone. That’s what matters most."

"...Keep doing that. Keep protecting your people in the way you can."

Susan’s frustration melted away, replaced by a bright, almost relieved smile. She straightened and gave another crisp salute. "Yes, Captain."

Julie smiled back, but then noticed Susan’s expression shift, something thoughtful, almost hesitant.

"...Captain, I know I probably shouldn’t ask this."

Susan said slowly. "But I can’t help being curious."

She lifted a hand and pointed toward a small group off to the side.

"Who exactly is that man?"

Julie turned to follow her gaze.

There, surrounded by a laughing circle of children, stood a figure with his face completely obscured by a scarf.

He was crouching down to their level, letting them climb onto his back, swinging them gently in wide arcs, and catching them with practiced ease.

The giggles were constant, and the children’s joy was so unguarded that it was almost hard to believe this man could be anyone dangerous.

A faint smile touched Julie’s lips. "Ah...him."

He wasn’t a bandit, though his attire might have fooled anyone at first glance...That man was Cassius, deliberately hiding his identity.

He had made it very clear he didn’t want anyone to know who he was or see the full extent of his abilities yet. That was why his face stayed covered, so well, in fact, that even the children didn’t realize the "big brother" they were playing with was one of the most powerful and rich people in the continent

To them, he was simply strong, fun, and kind big brother.

"I didn’t see it myself." Susan shook her head slowly, eyes still fixed on him. "But the reports say that man was throwing trees, actual trees, like they were nothing. They said he cut down the bandits in seconds, brought back the children in seconds. And that his power..." She hesitated. "...his power is something no one here has ever seen before."

Her brows drew together in wonder.

"When I heard all that, I thought he would be some kind of terrifying monster of a man. Someone...cold. Someone you’d be afraid to look at."

Her voice softened, almost confused.

"But now, seeing him...he’s smiling. Laughing with the children. They adore him. It doesn’t match at all. I’m...honestly, a little confused right now."

Julie chuckled.

"Don’t think about it too much. That man—"

Her eyes softened, following Cassius as he hoisted a little girl into a princess carry, making her squeal and blush

"...is an enigma. One moment, he’s a loving, gentle figure you’d trust like a father. The next, he can become a demon from hell whose power has no bounds. It changes depending on what’s needed."

Her smile turned faint but warm.

"What matters is that he’s a good man. Honest in his ways. Someone anyone would want to follow, after seeing his actions."

Julie’s voice carried a subtle tenderness as she spoke, one that Susan didn’t miss. She caught the look in Julie’s eyes, soft, almost affectionate, and her own eyes widened slightly in realization.

A small smile crept onto Susan’s lips. Even someone as strong as Captain Julie can wear the emotions of a young woman, she thought.

Julie noticed the smile and tilted her head. "What’s wrong?"

Susan quickly shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Julie studied her for a moment before letting it go with a nod.

"Alright. Just remember, his identity can’t be revealed. He wants it that way. For now, you can simply think of him as someone who’s recently joined the Holyfield family."

Susan nodded slowly, though her eyes still lingered on the mysterious man. Who in the world is he...? she wondered.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, she was suddenly interrupted by a loud, bustling voice.

"Susan! What are you doing here?"

Susan blinked and turned to see a plump woman bustling towards her, cheeks flushed from the cold and the dancing. The woman didn’t even slow down before grabbing Susan’s hand.

"The whole town is starting to dance right now, can’t you hear the music? Come on already!" She insisted, tugging her away before Susan could even get a word in.

"W-Wait! I-I was just—!" Susan’s protests were swallowed by the laughter of the woman as she dragged her toward the center of the festival square.

Julie, who had been watching the entire thing, blinked in surprise at how sudden it all happened. A tiny giggle escaped her lips despite herself.

But her amusement was cut short when—

"Miss Julie!"

Julie turned just in time for another woman to latch onto her arm.

"Why are you standing here all alone? You should join the dance too!"

Julie’s eyes widened in mild panic. "No, no, there’s really no need, I really can’t dance—"

"Oh, nonsense!" The woman dismissed her concerns with a wave of her free hand. "Who in the world can’t dance? Just move your feet and legs a little, step to the beat, and that’s it!"

Before Julie could come up with another excuse, the woman had already hauled her forward with the same forceful determination as Susan’s kidnapper.

In moments, Julie found herself swept into the group dance in the middle of the town square.

A massive bonfire roared in the center, casting flickering gold light across the faces of the dancers as they held hands and spun in long, interlocking chains.

Julie was shoved into place and immediately had to start stepping in time, desperately trying not to trip. She was passed from one partner to another until—

"Aisha?" Julie blinked in disbelief as she found herself hand-in-hand with the Holy Guard’s spell-caster.

"Captain?!" Aisha’s brows shot up.

"You’re dancing?" Julie asked, incredulous. "I wasn’t expecting that from you."

Aisha scoffed, turning her face slightly away.

"Of course not. There’s no way I’d willingly join this." She jerked her chin toward the edge of the crowd. "Those ladies over there shoved me into the middle and told me to dance. I had no choice."

Julie chuckled. "I see. Same case for me. I was forced into this mess too."

Aisha smirked. "Guess we’re both victims tonight. Still..." She shifted her feet smoothly and leaned forward slightly. "...better that we’re stuck together, don’t you think?"

"...Now, move your feet like everyone else is doing."

Julie sighed but followed along.

"You know, if you weren’t here right now, I’d probably trip over myself and humiliate the both of us."

"Then hold on to my hands tightly, Captain." Aisha instructed with a small grin. "I’ll guide you."

Julie’s cheeks warmed slightly at the unexpected gentleness. She followed Aisha’s lead, still clumsy but at least managing to keep up.

"You know..." Julie muttered after a moment. "You’re acting like some kind of dancing professional right now. Since when?"

"I never said I was good." Aisha gave her a look before it turned into a teasing smile. "But at least I don’t crash into half the ballroom like you did last time."

Julie’s face turned red. "You did not have to bring that up."

"It’s better to hold on to me." Aisha said smugly, ignoring the protest. "You’re less dangerous this way."

Julie gritted her teeth but had to admit the truth in it. So she held on and followed along, blending into the rhythm.

But the moment she thought things couldn’t get more chaotic—

"How could you?!" A familiar voice shouted from somewhere to the side.

Julie and Aisha both turned, only to see Skadi barreling toward them.

"How could you leave me to dance alone while you two are having fun?!" Skadi cried dramatically. "Unforgivable! Add me in!"

Before either of them could object, Skadi latched onto both their hands and spun them around wildly. The three of them ended up looking like they were singing "Ring Around the Rosie" at high speed.

"Skadi! Slow down!" Aisha barked, trying not to get dizzy.

"This is the best!" Skadi shouted back, refusing to let up.

Julie could only laugh helplessly, swept up in the chaotic energy. And then her eyes caught something in the crowd, something that made her grin widen.

"Look over there." She called over the music, nodding toward a different circle of dancers.

Aisha and Skadi turned, and both of their faces lit up instantly.

There, in the middle of a cluster of laughing children, was Cassius.

But he wasn’t just standing there...He was dancing.

And not just dancing, he was absolutely destroying the dance floor with moves so bizarre, so enchanting, that even the adults stopped to watch.

He was spinning, twisting, flipping his scarf dramatically, and doing steps no one had ever seen before.

The kids were cheering like he was the star of a traveling circus. The townsfolk started clapping in time with him, urging him on.

Aisha burst out laughing. "What...what is he doing?!"

"I don’t know." Julie admitted, still smiling. "But apparently he’s better at this than we are."

"Better?!" Skadi cackled. "Master is crushing it!"

Just like that, the night rolled on in a whirl of music, flickering lantern light, and the sound of people clapping in time with the beat.

The trio kept at it, still locked in their own strange little orbit, their hands occasionally brushing or accidentally bumping into each other as they spun and shuffled in circles that made no sense to anyone but them.

None of them knew a single proper dance step, yet that seemed to make it all the more hilarious. Their laughter came in loud bursts, sometimes breaking mid-spin, sometimes while they doubled over for a second before resuming their nonsense movements.

"Wait, wait—" Aisha wheezed between laughs, clutching her side but still trying to keep up with the beat, before looking at Cassius who had danced bus way over here. "Cassius, what are you even doing?!"

Cassius, who was mid-way through a very questionable spin that ended with a sudden dip and finger-gun pose, shot her a shameless grin.

"Art, Aisha. This is pure art. Don’t question it, just feel it."

Hearing this, Skadi was barely standing upright from laughing so hard, wiping her eyes.

"If this is art, Master, then I’m a ballerina."

She said, snorting and then, without warning, she twirled herself into Cassius, making him stumble back and nearly take Aisha down with him.

"Whoa, careful!" Aisha yelped, holding her arms out like she could somehow steady them both. "If you knock me over, I’m taking both of you with me!"

"Then we go down together!"

Cassius declared dramatically, somehow recovering into another ridiculous move, a flailing high-kick that earned more cheers and laughter from the small crowd that had formed to watch.

Julie who was watching all of this pointed at him mid-laugh. "Cassius, what was that?!"

"A move I like to call ’the windmill after it’s been hit by a storm’." He shrugged, still grinning.

That set the trio off again, clutching each other for balance while the crowd around them roared with laughter.

The silliness was contagious, and because of that people who hadn’t danced all night were starting to step in, clapping and laughing as they tried to mimic Cassius’s ridiculous moves.

And so the night continued, the music pulsing in the background as the trio kept up their awkward spinning, half-shuffling, half-tripping motions.

They laughed until their cheeks hurt, until their legs ached, but still they danced, egged on by Cassius’s increasingly absurd moves.

With every step and every burst of laughter, the atmosphere only grew lighter, brighter, more alive. The ridiculousness of it all somehow made the night even merrier than it had already been, and by the end of it, no one cared about skill or form.

It was joy in its rawest form, just three sisters dancing badly, laughing too hard to breathe, and making everyone else laugh right along with them to form one of the most beautiful nights the small town of Tavern had ever seen...